Raiders say goodbye to veteran QB, center on 1st day of free agency

Gardner Minshew’s time with the Raiders is officially over.

The club released the veteran quarterback Wednesday, the first day of the NFL’s new league year. The Raiders also cut center Andre James and brought back defensive tackle Adam Butler on a three-year contract.

Minshew, 28, signed a two-year, $25 million deal with the team last season. The Raiders were the former sixth-round pick out of Washington State’s fourth club after the Jaguars, Eagles and Colts.

Minshew, listed at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, was named the team’s starter out of training camp but couldn’t hold onto the job. He was benched multiple times and struggled with turnovers before suffering a season-ending collarbone injury in Week 12 against the Broncos.

Minshew will still count $10.8 million against the team’s salary cap next season.

James, 27, started 60 games over six years with the Raiders after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound pivot will count $7.2 million against the team’s salary cap next season. His likely replacement is Jackson Powers-Johnson, the Raiders’ 2024 second-round pick.

Butler, 30, earned a three-year, $16.5 million deal with $11 million guaranteed. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound lineman had 65 tackles and five sacks last season and started 16 games.

Butler was undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2017 and played for the Patriots and Dolphins before joining the Raiders.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X